Nobuo Nagai, who served as Nintendo's Manufacturing senior managing director and was employed at the company for nearly 45 years, passed away on Sunday after battling stomach cancer. He was 66 years old.

Nagai was hired by the Japanese firm in 1967, during Nintendo's transition from a playing card manufacturer to a toy company, and years before figures like Shigeru Miyamoto and current CEO/president Satoru Iwata joined. He was also the general manager of Nintendo's Manufacturing division and a representative director.

Though Nagai was not as visible as some members of Nintendo's software or hardware development teams, he did have a hand in the production of the company's hardware at its Uji plant in Kyoto. Iwata has previously mentioned that Nagai examined the designs of consoles before their mass production.

He was also credited as a general producer for the Nintendo 3DS, according to fansite The Kyoto Report, and was mentioned in the Special Thanks sections of Nintendo products like Wii Play Motion, Slide Adventure: Mag Kid, and media player accessory Play-Yan.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei reports that a funeral service will be held on January 25 in Yamatokōriyama, which will be led by his eldest son.